DIY & Crafts

Save money and have fun doing things yourself

  • Home
  • Repurpose
  • Crafts
    • Kids
    • Paper
    • Winter
  • Holidays
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
  • Fashion
    • Sewing
    • Beauty
    • Hairstyles
  • Gifts
    • Baby Shower
    • Father’s Day
    • Mother’s Day
  • Homemade
  • Home
    • Lifehacks
    • Decorating
    • Organization
    • Parenting
    • Gardening
    • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Knitting & Crocheting

Home » Crafts » Shabby Chic Book Page Paper Pumpkin Decoration

Shabby Chic Book Page Paper Pumpkin Decoration

August 20, 2020 By Katie Hale 1 Comment

Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Paper pumpkin by wooden background
Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin
Book page pumpkin on stack of books by polka dot background
Book page pumpkin on stack of books by polka dot background
Paper pumpkin by wooden background
Old book page paper pumpkin collage
Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin

Don’t you love seeing pumpkins popping up in decor everywhere? This book page paper pumpkin is one of my recent favorite projects. Of course, I use pumpkins all year in my decorations, but typically they start being seen in August and continue through November. Whether you are decorating just for fall, adding to Halloween decor, or want it for your Thanksgiving table, this old book page upcycled idea is a perfect solution!

Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin

Table of Contents

  • Book Page Paper Pumpkin
  • What Can I Use for the Stem?
  • Can I Use Different Paint for My Pumpkin?
  • How Can I Customize My Paper Pumpkin?
  • Supplies Needed
  • How to Make a Paper Pumpkin
  • Finished Project Gallery

Book Page Paper Pumpkin

Old books are kind of my “thing”. I find them at thrift shops, second-hand book stores, and of course, the library trash bins. Instead of seeing them go to the trash or recycling bin, I love adding them to my project lists. They are super versatile, a great base for many crafts, and most of all, frugal. What more could you ask for in a craft base?

This pumpkin is a super easy craft that is great for making with kids. While simple in design, this is pretty easy to customize. Whether you make it different colors, add some pizazz with beads, or make a dozen to create your own pumpkin patch, I am sure it will be a new favorite pumpkin craft.

Paper pumpkin by wooden background

What Can I Use for the Stem?

I chose to go simplistic with this one and only used a bit of leftover brown craft paper. You can, however, use any number of items to create the stem for your pumpkin. Below are just a few ideas that come to mind.

  • A piece of cardboard cut into the shape of a stem.
  • Stick or twig from your yard.
  • A wooden dowel or skewer painted brown.
  • Thick rope or twine.
  • Braided rope, twine, or yarn.

Old book page pumpkin by stack of books

Can I Use Different Paint for My Pumpkin?

For this project, I found that spray paint was the perfect choice to coat the paper in seconds with minimal mess. I didn’t want a thick coat of paint as I wanted this to appear more rustic, but you can use different paints if you prefer.Some ideas for updating with different paints are below.

  • Stain the pages of the book and let dry before turning into the pumpkin.
  • Use different colors of spray paint for different looks. Darker oranges, yellow, red, brown, and even white all work for pumpkins and gourds.
  • Brush with watercolor to give a stiffer feel to the pages and a slightly more transparent appearance to the pages.
  • Add your typical acrylic craft paint to just the outside edges of the pumpkin.

Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin

How Can I Customize My Paper Pumpkin?

I just love the country chic or rustic appeal to this design. That said, you might prefer something a bit more jazzed up to go on your mantle this year. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to make this pumpkin truly your own.

I love the idea of adding a bit of glue to the paper edges and sprinkling on some brown or orange glitter. Adding sparkle to projects is always my go-to choice, and this is a great one to use that method. A beaded top or sequins added around the stem and leaves can also bring the “bling” you might be looking for on your pumpkin.

Different colors of paint, different stems, using artificial leaves, or even vines growing from the top are all ways to customize. Think outside the box and just have fun making yours. If working with kids on this project, let them use their imagination and turn the project into their own custom piece of art.

Paper pumpkin by wooden background

Supplies Needed

  • Old book pages
  • Brown craft paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Twine or rope
  • Rubber bands
  • Orange spray paint
  • Scissors

Supplies for paper pumpkin

How to Make a Paper Pumpkin

Remove a stack of 40-50 pages from a book, leaving the glue binding intact.

Tearing pages out of a book

Use a ruler to measure a straight line across the top and outside of the pages creating a square shape.

Measuring a book page

Cut the top half of the pages off and trim off the excess outside page so it is an even square.

Cutting top of book page off

Now, section off the pages into 10-12 groupings of 4-5 pages each and begin rolling them inward toward the spine of the book.

Roll some in one direction and others the opposite direction until the entire set of pages has been rolled and formed into a circular shape.

Rolling pages inward

Using a rubber band, secure the pages into a circle.

Tying pages together for pumpkin with rubber band

Now, spray the outside of the pumpkin with orange spray paint leaving it rustic by not coating it completely in the paint.

Spray painting paper pumpkin

Once the paint has dried, roll a piece of brown paper or cardboard into a tube.

Gluing cardboard stem in place

Stick into the open middle of the pumpkin. Glue in place if needed.

Now, using a piece of green paper or tissue paper, tie “leaves” around the brown stem.

Tying green paper to pumpkin stem

Wrap a length of twine around the center of the pumpkin 2-3 times.

Tying twine around pumpkin

Tie the ends of the twine into a bow.

Tying bow onto paper pumpkin

Now you can display your pumpkin!

Old book page paper pumpkin on shrubs

Want to add more pumpkins to your decor? Check out this fun fabric pumpkin, a kids craft paper plate pumpkin, or even this DIY pumpkin ornament. You can even make a wine glass pumpkin if wanted. It’s such a cute idea! Of course, I love the pumpkin button wall art and the yarn pumpkin garland. Both are amazing additions to your home during the fall season.

Crafter’s Tip

If you prefer a more exact look to your pumpkin, grab these leaf and stem SVG files to cut from paper and secure to your pumpkin. These are handy for multiple uses in crafting.

Yield: 1

Shabby Chic Book Page Paper Pumpkin Decoration

Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin

Grab that old book and turn it into this adorable paper pumpkin! A simple craft that adds rustic appeal to your fall decor!

Active Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Old book pages
  • Brown craft paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Twine or rope
  • Rubber bands
  • Orange spray paint

Tools

  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Remove 40-50 pages from an old book, leaving the binding in place; Tearing pages out of a book
  2. Measure the pages into a square; Measuring a book page
  3. Trim the top half of the pages off and trim the outer edge of the paper into a square; Removing book page from top of book
  4. Section off the pages into groupings of 4-5 pages;
  5. Roll the pages inward toward the spine of the book creating rolls; Rolling pages inward
  6. Continue this until a circle has formed, and then tie with a rubber band securing them into a circle; Tying pages together for pumpkin with rubber band
  7. Spray the outside of the paper pumpkin with orange spray paint and then set aside to dry; Spray painting paper pumpkin
  8. Once the pumpkin has dried, roll a piece of brown paper into a tube, and place inside the top of the pumpkin; Adding cardboard stem to pumpkin
  9. Tie a piece of green tissue paper around the stem as leaves; Tying green paper to pumpkin stem
  10. Next, tie a length of twine around the middle of the pumpkin wrapping it 2-3 times; Tying twine around pumpkin
  11. Tie the twine into a bow; Tying bow onto paper pumpkin
  12. Display your pumpkin as desired. Book page pumpkin on stack of books by polka dot background Old book page paper pumpkin on shrubs

Notes

Feel free to use different colored paints to make your pumpkin unique.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Velvet Pumpkins set of 3 Large
    Velvet Pumpkins set of 3 Large
  • Paper Pumpkin Halloween Decoration Set of 3 Small Medium and Large Book Art
    Paper Pumpkin Halloween Decoration Set of 3 Small Medium and Large Book Art
  • Pumpkin Low Poly PDF Template
    Pumpkin Low Poly PDF Template
  • Paper Quilled Pumpkin
    Paper Quilled Pumpkin
  • Falling Leaves SVG Files
    Falling Leaves SVG Files
  • Decoupage Craft Papers
    Decoupage Craft Papers
  • Decoupage Craft Papers
    Decoupage Craft Papers
© Katie Hale
Project Type: Decorating / Category: Halloween

Finished Project Gallery

Paper pumpkin on white table

Old book page paper pumpkin on shrubs

Woman in pink sweater holding paper pumpkin

Book page pumpkin on stack of books by polka dot background

Old book page pumpkin on table with beads

Old book page pumpkin by stack of books

60shares

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 10,001 other subscribers

Comments

  1. Deb says

    August 23, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    What a great idea! I’m going to try this!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Recent Projects

Fishtail Ponytail Pigtails with Bow Accent {Hairstyle Tutorial}

Country Chic DIY Paper Heart Hanging Garland

Adorable Owl Diaper Cake Baby Shower Gift Idea

Adorable DIY Diaper Cake Train Baby Shower Gift

Pages

  • About Us
  • Be Featured
  • Contact Us
  • Email and Push Notification Subscriber Settings.
  • Privacy Policy
DIYnCrafts.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca and amazon.com.au.

Copyright © 2021 DIY and Craft Projects and Collections

60shares